


Change of Hands

by pulveremcomedesligulas



Category: Linked Universe - Fandom, The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Hyrule being the Best Boy and an awesome friend, I made myself and a lot of others cry with this, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Triforce Bullshit, Wild's feelings of failure, based on art by Liccy on tumblr!, what was supposed to be a quick drabble became a lot more
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-08
Updated: 2020-02-08
Packaged: 2021-02-27 20:27:38
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,299
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22611763
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pulveremcomedesligulas/pseuds/pulveremcomedesligulas
Summary: It was supposed to be a normal dungeon.It should’ve been fine.
Comments: 9
Kudos: 183





	Change of Hands

**Author's Note:**

> Based off the lovely art from [Liccy](https://liccy.tumblr.com) on tumblr!! When I first saw the Hyrule holding Wild picture in [this post](https://liccy.tumblr.com/post/190683162644) I had _a lot_ of emotions. And while this isn't the original idea Liccy had when she made the drawing (as it was made as a sequel to another beautiful art piece by [Scribbs](https://scribb-dibbs.tumblr.com/post/190709752687/ok-ok-ok-holy-fuck-im-actually-proud-of-my-art) ) my brain kinda ran away with this idea so I had to write it. 
> 
> I totally recommend everyone go check out both of these amazing artists' works, because they are both awesome and deserve love. 
> 
> Also, Liccy, thank you so much for letting me write for your beautiful art! It has been so much fun and an absolute honor.

It was supposed to be a normal dungeon. No one had expected anything… _off_ about it. Wild and Hyrule had even gotten _permission_ to explore it.

It should’ve been fine.

And it was, until they got to about three quarters of the way through and were met with a figure in a dark crimson robe standing - no, _floating_ \- a few paces in front of them.

It confused them both, because they’d already beaten the mini-boss of the dungeon, and they hadn’t gotten to the point of finding the boss key yet, so reason would say that this was a normal enemy.

Except it didn’t look like any of the enemies either had ever faced before. 

**_“Hero of Hyrule, Hero of the Wild,_ ** ” said a voice from the cloaked figure. The voice had no identifiable features, sounding ethereal and ancient in a way that sent shivers down both of the heroes’ spines the with dark power it radiated. **_“You hold the golden power that I seek, and the divine blessing carried by those chosen of the Goddess Hylia. Surrender to me now that I may obtain these both.”_ **

Wild didn’t miss the small gasp from Hyrule at the mention of a ‘golden power’, nor did he overlook the way Hyrule’s right hand hovered closer to his left. 

But neither of them responded to the figure’s demands beyond both readying their weapons. 

**_“You have chosen to not surrender,_ ** ” the voice said. **_“And with this choice, your lives are now forfeit.”_ **

**…**

Wild wasn’t sure how long ago their initial encounter with the cloaked figure had been. All he knew is that he and Hyrule had been running through the rooms of the dungeon (now enchanted by the figure - who had to be a sorcerer, Hyrule had said - to move and change so the map they had both worked hard to find was now useless. 

Poisonous gas flooded through the chambers, settling about knee high off the ground, but still managing to seep into their bodies, slowly draining both their health and energy. 

Surges of enemies they had already killed off came back to attack them, and traps they had already disarmed appeared at the worst times to add to the damage. 

Wild had already had to rely on Mipha’s Grace once to heal himself, and even with doing that, he could feel his health still steadily decreasing. Hyrule was in just as bad, if not _worse_ shape, having used a great deal of his power to get them away from the sorcerer’s initial attacks and to heal himself once when he was on death’s door. 

At one point, Hyrule stumbled, and Wild was barely able to catch him in time to keep him from falling face first into the poison layer at their feet. 

There was a small ledge a few feet away from where they stood, peeking up above the poison. Wild quickly moved Hyrule over to the ledge, helping his friend climb up onto the ledge and settle his back against the cavern wall. 

“We need to rest,” Wild said, trying to prop Hyrule up as best as he could. 

“We can’t stop,” Hyrule protested, despite his eyes sliding closed. “The sorcerer will find us.”

Wild knew he was better off than Hyrule, and he hated it. Mipha would keep healing him every time his health got too low. But she couldn’t heal Hyrule - Wild had already begged for her to, and even though Mipha was willing, her powers just _didn’t_ _work like that_.

“Just a few minutes,” Wild insisted. “I’m sure I have a potion or…” 

He paused as he noticed the faint flicker of golden light coming from Hyrule’s left hand.

“Uh, ‘Rule, what is that?”

Hyrule blinked his eyes open and looked in alarm to where Wild had gestured. When he realized what it was, he gave a defeated sort of chuckle and moved to take off the bracer that covered the back of his hand. 

“ _That_ ,” he said. “Is the ‘golden power’ the sorcerer is trying to kill us for.”

Wild stared in amazement at the flickering golden light of the complete Triforce on the back of Hyrule’s hand. 

“You… You didn’t tell us,” Wild said softly.

“I couldn’t,” Hyrule answered. “I… I’ve been betrayed and hunted too many times for this. I was terrified to let anyone know… at first. I wanted to tell you all but…” Hyrule gave a weak cough before grimacing.

“Can it heal you?” Wild asked. He admittedly didn’t know much about the Triforce. He knew his Zelda had wielded its power before, but beyond that…

Hyrule shook his head. “I don’t have the energy to wield it right now. It’s flickering like this because it knows we’re in danger, but…”

He didn’t have the chance to finish before the ground began to shake around them. Behind where Hyrule sat, the wall began to crumble and give way, falling into a dark, black abyss behind them. Wild cried out in alarm as the ground beneath Hyrule began to fall away as well. 

Hyrule looked up at Wild with a look of fear in his eyes right before he was sent plummeting into the abyss.

Wild barely had time to process it before he was reacting - springing forward and grabbing Hyrule’s outstretched left hand right as he fell. He held Hyrule suspended in the air above a seemingly bottomless ravine below. 

“Hold on, I’ll pull you up!” Wild called, tightening his grip on Hyrule’s hand. 

But the poisonous cloud had risen in with the shaking ground, and was now slowly creeping up the length of Wild’s stomach where he lay holding tightly to his friend. The gas burned his eyes, nose, and throat even as he tried to close them off against it. 

“ ** _Give in, little heroes,_ ** ” the voice of the sorcerer intoned behind Wild. **_“Give in.”_ **

Wild could feel his health draining as the poison clouded around him. He couldn’t give in. He had to save Hyrule.

“Wild, you can’t,” Hyrule said. His voice was weak, the increased flow of poison reaching him as it tumbled off the end of the cliff. “You can’t save me now.”

“I’m not going to let you go,” Wild growled. He could feel tears coming to his eyes that weren’t from the poison. “I can’t lose you. I won’t lose anyone. _Never again._ ”

Wild could barely see Hyrule shake his head through the tears and gas. 

“I’m sorry, but this time you have to.”

Wild felt Hyrule squeeze his hand, and with it came a flood of power that Wild never expected. The power coursed up his right arm with an explosive force, tearing away Wild’s sleeve as swirls of golden light danced up the limb. 

The power took Wild by surprise, and forced his hand open, releasing his hold on Hyrule.

“ _NO!_ ” Wild screamed, not able to see as Hyrule fell but already feeling that piece of his heart (the ⅛ he had given to Hyrule, just as he had given the same to each of the others in his new family) shattering. 

A dark chuckle sounded behind Wild and he turned his head to see the sorcerer standing there.

**“It seems that there is only one life left for me to take now** ,” they said. **“Then the golden power will be mine.”**

At the mention of the golden power, Wild dropped his eyes down to stare at his hand. There, shining brightly and radiating more power than Wild could ever imagine, was the symbol of the Triforce, glowing and whole.

Hyrule had given it to him, wanting him to protect it. 

And Wild would.

_“Please,_ ” he whispered to the power now flooding his veins. _“Please lend me your strength._ ”

With a flash of brilliant light, Wild felt the power of the Triforce surge. He couldn’t help the yell that tore from his throat as he targeted the power at the sorcerer. 

The sorcerer embodied darkness and all that chosen of Hylia stood against. Wild raised his hand, glowing with the divine power of the Golden Goddesses, and willed the darkness to be purged.

The light flared and an ear-splitting shriek echoed through the room as the Triforce burned away the spells and their source with a fury that threatened to overwhelm Wild. But it was over within seconds, dimming down and revealing an empty chamber exactly as it was before the sorcerer had appeared. The broken wall and floor were both repaired and there was no other sound beyond Wild’s labored breathing and the rapid beating of his heart. 

Wild fell to his knees, holding his hand tightly to his chest. He’d defeated the enemy, made everything back to how it should be. 

He’d won. 

But it wasn’t enough. Despite the victory, Wild still felt hollow. Looking at his hand again, he couldn’t hold back the choked sob.

He hadn’t been able to save Hyrule. He’d let Hyrule _fall_. He couldn’t save him.

_He had failed._ And now… now he was alone.

Again.

He couldn’t go back to the others… not without Hyrule. He couldn’t… couldn’t face them. Not when he knew what they would say. 

It was his fault. He’d let it happen. 

Sure, some of them would try to reassure him with false words. Twilight and Four and Time would probably all say he did his best. Wind would offer him a hug and Sky a shoulder to cry on. Warriors would probably just give him that look of understanding that was one that seasoned soldiers all understood. And Legend…

_Gods_ he knew he couldn’t face Legend. He’d just let Legend’s protege - the only other one from Legend’s timeline and the only one of their group that Legend had actually easily been able to open up to - fall to his _death._

Just another person to add to the list of people that Wild’s failures had taken someone important from, he guessed. 

Wild knew he wasn’t going to be able to go back to them. He couldn’t face the reactions they would give him. Which meant…

He was alone again. 

Another sob ripped from his throat as he opened his eyes - not having realized they had been closed - and stared at the still glowing mark on his hand.

“Can’t you bring him back?” he begged. “He was _your_ chosen protector after all. _Can’t you bring him back?”_

“That’s unfortunately not a power the Triforce has,” a voice said from behind Wild. The champion hero’s head flew up to see Hyrule standing there, a small smile on his face. He looked beaten up still, sporting several cuts and bruises on his face, but he was _there._ With a watery laugh, he continued “It can’t bring someone back from a certain death of falling off a cliff… at least not on its own. It needs a particularly determined wielder to be able do something like _that_.”

Wild let out some type of cry as he leapt to his feet and threw himself at Hyrule, successfully knocking the other to his ass. 

“Hey, it’s okay,” Hyrule said. “I’m here.”

Wild buried his face deeper into Hyrule’s tunic, gripping it tightly like a lifeline as he sobbed. 

“You were gone,” he whispered. “You… I couldn’t save you. I _failed_ and I couldn’t… I didn’t want to be alone again.”

Another sobbed ripped from him and he tightened his grip, trying to convince himself that Hyrule was _there._ He wasn’t imagining this. _He was there._

Wild felt tears drop down onto his head as Hyrule lifted his hands to his hair, pulling him closer.

“ _It’s okay,_ ” Hyrule murmured softly. _“_ You did what you had to, and it turned out okay. You _didn’t fail._ And I promise, you _aren’t_ going to be left alone.”

Soft fingers combed through the looser strands of his hair as Wild let out a shaky breath, feeling his energy draining as he sank in Hyrule’s hold. 

“You’re not alone Wild,” Hyrule said quietly. “We aren’t going to leave you alone. I swear it.”

**…**

After taking some time to recover, they left the dungeon pretty quickly. The others were waiting for them, worried looks on each of their faces. They had felt the surge of the Triforce’s power, and hadn’t known what to think. 

Wild and Hyrule had explained as best as they could, as well as explaining that _Wild_ was now the one who would be the protector of the Triforce from that point on. 

It had been hard to explain, and Wild hadn’t wanted to admit to anyone the real reason he was still torn up. 

He couldn’t admit that when he hadn’t been able to save Hyrule from falling… he felt like he had failed again. That he was _alone_ again. 

But that night as he cooked dinner for his friends, he remembered Hyrule’s words. 

That he hadn’t failed.

That he wasn’t alone. 

And he realized that those words were true. 

He _hadn’t_ failed.

He _wasn’t_ alone.

Wild looked up at the others scattered around the campsite. Twilight and Warriors were in the middle of a sparring match that Wind was intently watching. Four and Time were carefully looking over the various pieces of the group’s equipment, murmuring quietly to each other and making note of the different pieces that needed repairs. Sky was leaned up against a tree, a piece of wood and his carving knife in hand as he whistled a peaceful tune. Legend had pulled Hyrule to the side and currently was fussing over the various injuries that Hyrule had. 

Wild watched them, and knew that he had all pieces of his heart again, together and whole.

It was enough to bring a smile to his face.

But not enough to let Hyrule convince him to help with dinner. 

They’d both had enough poison for one day, after all. 

  
  


**Author's Note:**

> Catch me and my other LU nonsense writing (and much other nonsense) on my tumblr [pulveremcomedesligulas.tumblr.com](https://pulveremcomedesligulas.tumblr.com)


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